NEWENT'S annual Onion Fayre, which attracts thousands of visitors every year, is to be used as a platform to promote neighbouring towns.

David Blick, entertainments organiser for the event, said he would be asking tourism officers from Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye to advertise their towns in the programme for this year's event.

He also said the three towns should work together to promote each other.

He added that the three towns feel a bit left out of council activities and even suggested they should really all be united under one authority.

He pointed out that the road links between the three were very good, and that Newent was closer to them than to its district council headquarters in Coleford.

"That would be the way to go from the tourism point of view," he said. "We could all pull together and basically compete with the Cotswolds, if you like."

His comments came after the annual general meeting of the organising committee, which took place on Tuesday night.

Eddie Wood, June Davies and Jenny Grasson were re-elected to posts as chairman, secretary and treasurer respectively.

This year's event will take place on September 13. It will be organised on similar lines to last year's, with the onion-eating contest taking place at 1pm.

However, Mr Blick added that there would be a greater emphasis on music this year, with more mobile musicians adding to the other attractions on the streets.